Article orienting mechanism for conveyors



March 4, 1958 I 3, g E

ARTICLE QRIENTING MECHANISM FOR CONVEYORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. March 15. 1955 I 25 60507 7 ef'ai'zer March 4, 1958 s. T. CARTER 2,825,442

ARTICLE onmu'rmc MECHANISM FOR CONVEYORS Filed March 16, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 4, 1958 s.v T. CARTER 2,325,442

ARTICLE ORIENTING MECHANISM FOR CONVEYORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 16, 1955 I March 4, 1958 s. T. CARTER ARTICLE onmn'rmc MECHANISM FOR CONVEYORS Filed March is, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1&2? fizz ava ar I 1 v Jzdzz eyffiazier AR'HCLEORIENT ING MECHANISM FOR CONVEYORS Sidney T; Carter, Shr'ewsbury, Mass, assignor to Gen. 3.

Meyer Manufacturing $0., Cudahy, Wis a corporation of Wisconsin ApplicationMarch 16, 1955, Serial No. 494,741

This'inv'entioh pertains to conveyors and more especially to means for orienting an article while it is moving uninferrupteclly from one conveyor device to another,

so'that each successive article, when deposited on the receiving conveyor, iil face in the same direction.

The invention is of particular utility the labeling art, where it is often necessary to apply a label or the like'to'a definite predetermined area of the article being labeled. For example, in labeling round bottles it may be require'd that the label be accurately located with reference to certain letters or designs molded in the bottle glass. As a more specific example, round whiskey bottles commonly have both front and back labels and a strip revenue stamp which must be locatedcorrectly with reference to both labels.

To make possible such accurate location of labels or stamps, when applied automatically by machinery, it is customary to provide the bottle with a small integral forapplyingthe strip revenue stamp before the bottle leaves the labeling machine proper, this is not universally true. in some plants the stamp must be applied by hand. Moreover, it is usual to inspect the bottles after the labels have been applied, the inspection being performed while thefb'o'ttles st'an'd'ona table conveyor.

When the strip revenue stamp, or in fact anyother label, must beapplie'd by hand, and/or when the bottle is to b'e inspected, it is very desirable, and in fact substantially necessary, that each bottle face in the same direction, either to insure accurate location of the stamp or label, or to present the bottle with its applied labels in proper position for inspection. However, when the bottle leaves thedelivery conveyor of'the labeling machine, it is pushed across a stationary support or so-called dead plate on its way to the next operating station, and usually onto another conveyor which carries it through stamp applying and/or inspection Zones. During this journey, the bottle tends to rotate more or less so that prior to the application of the stamp or to inspection the operator must restore the bottle by hand to its previous position of orientation. 7

The present invention has for its principal'object'the provision of simple and relatively inexpensive mechanism of such a design 'that-it-rnay be installed at the location of the -dead plate between 'the'deliver'y conveyor and another support, for example, a receiving conveyor, and

which, without interruption of the forward advance of Patented Mar. 4, 1958 the bottle, restores the latter to the proper position of orientation so that successive bottles, as they pass through the stamp applying or inspection zones, all face in the same direction.

A further object is to provideautomatic mechanism for orienting an article, for instance, a round bottle provided with a spotting projection, such mechanism comprising a constantly -moving part, for instance-an endless belt having spaced projecting teeth, and means for so contacting the bottle with the moving partthat its spotting projection enters the'space between two successive teeth, th'ereby' causing the-bottle to rotateabout its vertical axis. A'tur'the'r object is to provide spotting means whereby an article, havinga spotting projection, is caused to enter between two spaced, endless belts moving in the same direction and at the same linear speed, one of the belts being so devised as to engage the spotting projection on the article and positively to prevent rotation as the article advances bodily between the belts. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointedout in the following more detailed description and byreference to the-accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan of the present invention;

Fig. 1*- is a plan viewshowing those parts of the spotting'device which are omitted from Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a side view, with certain parts omitted, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is aside-view of the parts shown inFig. 1*;

Fig. 3 is a smallscale verticalsection, on the line 3-3 of Fig. '1 showing that part of the'machine frame which supports the conveyor belt;

Fig. 4 is a small scale, diagrammatic planview showliJng the relation oftheupper guide rails to the spotting elts;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectionon the line 5-'-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing'the drive pulley and two of the 'idler pulleys for the toothed spotting chain;

Fig. 7 is' afragmentary plan view of the swivel block and associated parts for supporting one of the guide pulleysfor one of the belts;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, with parts in vertical section, of the apparatus of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the-guide for the'toothed spotting belt;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11. is a plan view of a stationary transferplate across which the articles move from one conveyor to another; and

Fig. 12 is an edge elevation, to larger scale, of the transfer plate of'Fig. '11.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 20 indicates the upper, horizontal run of an endless conveyor which may, for example, be the delivery conveyor of a labeling machine of conventional type, it being understood, however, that the present invention is not in anyway limited as respects the source of the articles-which areto' 'be handled.

Referringto'Figs. 3 and 5," the angle members 23aud 23* may be understood to formparts of the frame of the machine which delivers articles-onto the conveyor 20, these angle members 23 and-23 beingspaced apart horizontally and having upper horizontalflanges 24 and 24 which extend outwardly away from each "other and whose upper surfaces=are in the plane of-the lowersurface of the horizontal upper-run of the conveyor" 29. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the anglemembers 23and23 are provided with inwardly directed brackets 23 and.

view of the spotting devices 245whi ch provide supportsfor the right and left margins Lo'fthe. conveyor.

The anglemembers 23 and snpport bearings foria ing an endless drive chain 28, which is trained about a sprocket 28 (Fig. 71*?) on a shaft Z forming an element 1 "of the machine (not shown) which delivers the articles i to the conveyor/20. and which is constantlyidriven. at a definite. predetermined angular, velocity; Fixed to the sprocket 27 or to the shaft 26 is a sprocket 29, over which the conveyor is trained and which positively drives the conveyor in thedirection of the arrow A (Fig.2). J. 1

Just to therightof the right-hand ends {of 1the' angle I members23 and 23 there is arrangeda horizontalshaft 7 (Fig.';2 supported suitable bearings. (nothe're 1 shown) and which c'arries a guide pulley or. sprocket 31, f

I t transverselyiextendinghorizontal shaft 26 (Fig."2), to which a driving sprocket275is .fixed, this, sprocket receive few r? l 5 W on which the slide bar is iadjnstablysecuredto the iippe'r' surface of -a swivel block 48 (Figs. 1 2, 7nd 8 .Ihis" tends down through an elongate slot 49.. (Fig; 8) ind e flange 24, the parts being so arranged that the swivel.

block 48 may be adjusted bodily from right to left ,(as

viewed in Fig. l),-and may also swing horizontally'about the axis ,of stud 49.- TheswiYelblOck 48, (Fig. 8) ispro- I vided with an elongatecylindricalibore 50"toone side'o'f' 1 the axis of the stud 49, andwithin this boreishoused a coil springSl whose left-hand end; as viewed in Fig.

about .which is ;trained ,a receiving conveyor 32:;which. i is intended'to convey the articles received rmm'me .con-

'veyor 20 to any desired point, .for example, toa machine t for applying strip revenueistamps, or for further example, through an inspection zone, As shown'in Fig.

2, the upper surfaces 20$ and 32": of, the horizontal upper runs of the two conveyorsltlrandh 32' are in the ,same

plane t hei conveyorjz moving 'in'the same direction as 'the-conveyor 20,;as indicated by the arrow A. Usually the conveyor 32 will moveat'thesa ne linear velocity V as the conveyor 20, although under some circumstances 7 it may moveat a' greater linear velocity. x i

As shown in Fig. 2,'the points of tangency T and T' wheretthe upper run of the conveyor 20 passes theiverl" tical plane through the axis of the shaft 26, and where the conveyor 32, after passing about the pulley 31,.be-

comesrhorizontal, that is to say, the vertical plane through the axis of the shaft 30, are spaced, apart 'a substantial distance horizontally, and this spacelbetween the {points a of tangency is bridged by the fdead plate 33. This l Qdead plate, as more clearlyjillustratedin Figs. 11 and i 12, comprises a rectangular main portion 34 from" which extend the parallel'leg portions 35 and '36 whose; inner V edgesf7and 37*- are parallel and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the width'of the conveyor, 20."

1, contacts theinner end ofa plug '52,.which-s'1ides. in

fixed stop' member 53-bo1ted'to theflange 24.

Thein'nerjedge s4 (Fig. 7 r r esus: bar 4 5: rior-f "mallyfbears against 'an' upwardly directedf leg 55zof a. transversely elongate,'U-shapedbracket 56, boltedito the upper surface of the flange 24,? thisfbrackethavingifai second upwardly directed leg 57 having a'horizontal'bo're in which slides a pin'58, having a conical'head 59fwhichseats in a socket infthe outer 'face of the1slide bar'45. ,A spring 60, pressing againstthe ;head .59, atone end anclat its'other ,againstthe leg'57, resiliently urges the axis ofv the stud spring 60.

swivel block is provided with a pivot stud 49 which ex- 1 the borev 50,.and whose outer' or left-handend engagesa j J a slide bar 45 and the swivel block 48 to turn ina counter: 1

clockwise direction.about theiaxis of thestud-49, such i movement beinglimited 'by the contactof'thesurface 54 with the "leg 55.; However, ,the' slide bar '45;wi th the 5 1 pulley-.43 may swing in a clockwise.directionabout the 49 in' opposition to the pressure'of theg- The pulleys or sprockets142 and 43- are embracedtby it an endlessbelt 61 This belt 61 is desirably of the type i known as a cog belt having spacedteeth 62 on one side, i t

and the pulleys or; sprockets 42 and 43 are desirably. I i fitoothed for cooperation witha cog belt ofthis'i type so that by engagement ofitheibelt teeth with the t'eethfof V the drive pulley 42, ihebBltflS driven at an accnrate, pre

' oftextiletfabric or the like, 1 i 1 i t I The slide bar 45 'isinitially' adjusted to tensionthe belt;

j61to theidesired. degree, and the bracket=56 is'soposi-i' The main portion,.34 of this dead plate is beveled atits -nnder side, as shown at 38 and 39 respectively, thus pro-' viding inclined'surfaces which, respectively, closely overhe the conveyor 20 at the'point of tangency Tiandtt he j'conveyor 32 .where the lattenapproaches thepointj of Ttangency T'-the thickness of the deadplate 33 being such that its upper surface 40 (Fig 2 is flush the upper surfaces '20 and .32e o f the two conveyors, The

. dead plate is provided with a plurality of'holes, 3 (Fig.

11) designed to receive fasteners, by which the: dead plate 1s anchored to thefianges 24andf24 of'the angle members 23'and 23 a t I x The conveyors20 and'32 will-usually, be of the. type wherein the article supporting'surface consists of;,a series of thin metal plates, the several plates being flexibly connected by a link chain so that these plates collectively V provide'a smooth upper surface on which the articles may rest andon which the articles may slide or rotate' without d1fiiculty,;and theinpper surface of the dead plate 40 is smooth so that thearticles can,slide' along this plate, or rotate while on this plate, in response to. the action of the vticle'advancing andarticle rotating means of thepresentinvention. v t A vertical' shaft 41 (Fig's. '1 and 2)'projects upwardly through 'a'ri opening in the horizontal flange 24 of, the ,1 angle bracket 23, this shaft being journaled below the flange 2 4 in hearings in bracket 41 adjustably bolted to the underside of. the flange; Above the huge the shaftcarries a drive pulley-or sprocketx42.-

, 'A' similar pulley43 is-carried by'a stubshaft 44 (Figs.

'such as indicated'in full lines at'P'r determined linear .speedwithout possibilityfof slippage. While the inner surface of this jbeltis provided ;with h s r-e a le 1 teeth 62, its outer surfaceis smooth,

1) of the belt which lies near the .righthand margin of the apparatus, this run of the belt mayassurne a contour provides a bearing for a rotary guide. pulley or. sprocket r 1,7 and 8) projecting downwardly froinfthe right-hand -end of an elongate slide bar-45 having horizontally elongate slots 46 which receive bolts 47 .by means'off 66 in the same horizontal plane as the sprocket 64.

Another stub shaft 67 is fixed 'ihan elongated adjustable? bar 69, this stub shaft 67. carrying the guide -pulley or:

sprocket which is in the' same'pla ne asthe sprockets i 64 and 66, The bar 69 has elongate s lots17 1 which, H receive bolts'72, by means of which ittis Samara the flange 24 the slots andbolts-permitting the bar 69 to be adjusted longitudinally thereby to'inove {the sprocket 'tioned that when ;the machineisidle'that run-P ,(Fig.

the conveyor20 ,(th'e right han'd margin being that :at the, 1 right-hand side ofan article advancing along the belt) 1 will occupy a' position such asindicateclin'broken lines V in Fig. 1. However, at times, during the operation' of a 70 toward or from the sprocket-1 66] Another stub shaft 7 73 (Figs. 1 and 6) securedto theflange 24 earriestan. idler roll 74. An endless belt 75- (Fig. 1 is trained about the sprockets 66 and 70'and contacts; the g uideroll I V or pulley 74, this belt having teeth 7601i its outer surface {which engage teeth on the'pulley orsprocket 64;- This fi asserts belt 75 issubstantially like=the belt 61, except that whereas that run P of the belt 61 which is exposed at the path along which the articles travel. is smooth, the outer surface of the run 1 of the belt 75 which. is exposed at the conveyor path is the toothed face 'of the belt. This belt 75, by engagement with the teeth 76 of the pulley or sprocket 64, is positively driven'without slip in the same way as the belt 61, and the drive mechanism is so devised that the linear speeds of the two belts are equal, the runs P and P of the two belts moving in the same direction, that is to say, in the direction of advance of articles along the conveyor path.

The run P of the belt 75 is guided at the side of the conveyor path by a fixed guide 73 (Figs. 9 and 10). This guide is mounted on the upper surface of the flange 24 of the frame, and has concave end faces 78 and 78 which partly embrace the pulleys 66 and 70, respectively. The guide also has a vertical surface 79 which is designed to be contacted by the periphery of the bottle or other circular article as the latter moves along the conveyor path, the vertical height of this surface 79 being such that the spotting projection S (Fig. 1') on the periphery of the bottle is above the surface 79 so that the projection does not contact this-surface. The guide 78 has a second vertical surface 80 which is above the surface 79 and which is set back from the surface 79, that is to say, it is further away from the conveyor path than the surface 79. This surface 80 is in the horizontal plane of movement of the spotting projection S on the bottle as the latter moves along the conveyor path, but forms a guide for the smooth inner surface of the run P of the endless belt 75. The surfaces 79 and 80 are arcuate in plan view, as seen in Fig. 9, being convex toward the conveyor path, so that the run P of the belt 75 is caused to bulge transversely of the conveyor path so that an article entering the conveyor path, as indicated at- B (Fig. 1) is constrained by contact with the guide-supported belt 75 to move in a transverse direction across the conveyor path until it reaches some such position as the bottle B (Fig. 1) approximately opposite to the pivot 47, at which time the bottle'has already been delivered onto the dead plate. Beyond this pointthe bottle moves. transversely in the opposite direction as it advances until it reaches the final position B where it is on the receiving conveyor 32.

The normal position of the run P of the belt 61 is substantially parallel to the edge of the conveyor 20, but as the advancing. article reaches the position indicated at B it enters the space between the two belts and i pressed strongly against the belt 61 by the bulge of the run P of the belt 75, thus tensioning the belt 61 and resiliently forcing the periphery of the bottle against the guide surface 79 (Fig. 10). The conveyor is driven at approximately one-half the linear velocity of the belts 61 and 75, so that the articles are spaced as they travel along between the two belts. The frictional contact of the periphery of the article with the stationary surface 79, while the article is being bodily advanced,. causes. the article to rotate about its own axis in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, thus rolling the article along the surface 79 and causing it to advance along the conveyor path. This rotation of the article about its own axis effectively brings the spottingprojection into registry with a space between adjacent teeth 77 of the belt 75. As soon as the spotting projection enters one of these spaces, the belt 75 becomes effective to terminate further turning of the bottle, and since the bottle is now gripped between the two belts, the latter act positively to advance the bottle along the conveyor path, while its projection S is held between teeth of the belt 75 as'shown at B so that it cannot change its position of, orientation; The bottle being gripped between the two belts, which are moving at the same linear speed is thus conveyediwithout the possibility of rotation, until its delivery from the-dead plate onto the conveyor 32, atwhieh point the two belts disengage the bottle B leaving it properly oriented on the belt 32.

The shaft 41 on which the sprocket 42 is mounted extends down into the bearing bracket 41 as above described, and at its lower end is provided with abevel gear (not shown) which meshes with a corresponding bevel gear which is carried by a shaft 81 journaled in the lower part 82 of the bearing 41. This shaft 81 is connected by a universal joint 83 with a shaft 84, which in turn is connected'by a universal joint 85 (Figs. 1 and 2 with a shaft 86 journaled in a casing 87. This shaft is provided with a bevel gear (not shown) which meshes with a similar bevel gear on a shaft 83 journaled in the casing 87. A stub shaft mounted on the casing 87 carries a guide sprocket 89 (Fig. 1 which turns in the same piane as a drive sprocket 90 mounted on the shaft 83. The shaft 88 is connected with a shaft 91 by a coupling 92, the shaft 91 being journaled in a casing 93 and being provided with a bevel gear (not shown) which meshes with a bevel gear on another shaft 94 journaled in the same casing. This latter shaft is connected by a universal joint 95 to a shaft 96 which is connected by a universal joint 97 (Fig. 6) to a shaft 98 journaled in a casing 99 (Fig. 5), the shaft 98 having a bevel gear (not shown) which meshes with a bevel gear at the lower end of the shaft 63 on which the sprocket 64 is mounted. The endless drive chain 28 which drives the sprocket 27, and thus drives the delivery conveyor 20, passes about the sprockets 89 and 90 and thus drives both shafts 84 and 96, and through the connections above described turns the sprockets 42 and 64 in opposite directions and at the same angular velocity, thus driving the endless belts as above described.

As already pointed out, the teeth of endless belt 75 constitute the abutment means for stopping the rotation of the bottle during the spotting operation, that is to say, while the bottle is traveling along the dead plate between the belt runs P and P but while a tooth of the belt 75 thus acts as an abutment for terminating the rotation of the article about its own axis, the belt likewise provides positive means for causing the oriented article to advance across the dead plate until it has been deposited to the conveyor 32. Thus, in a very simple manner and. merely by means of the two belts and' the fixed guide 78, the spotting operation is accomplished and the delivery of the oriented article in proper position onto the conveyor 32 or any other support, is assured.

in order to steady the bottles as they advance between the .belt runs, fixed guide rails 11% and 191 (Figs. 4 and 5) are provided. These rails are supported at the proper elevation by brackets 102 and 133 arranged at suitable intervals. As shown in Fig. 4, the rails comprise curved portions 104 and 1435 respectively, contoured to conform substantially to the runs P and P of the belts 61 and 75. These rails are so spaced apart horizontally as to define between them a guideway of. the proper width for the passage of the upper portions ofthebottles B, as seen in Fig. 5.

While the mechanism herein disclosed has been suggested as of a special utility in connection with the labeling of articles, it is to be understood that it is of broad applicability to the orienting of articles for any desired purpose, and that While herein certain specific arrangements of parts have been described by way of example, the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for orientingan article having a spotting projection, said apparatus comprising means for advancing the article bodily along a predetermined path, two'endless belts having runs' disposed at opposite sides respectively, of said path, saidruns moving in the direction of advance of the articleand at .their'nearest'point of'approach being normally-spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the article, one or" said belt! runs having uniformly 7 tion of the advance ofthe article.

- iroll thereby to drive the belt.

I spaced teeth projecting from it into the space, between said runs, a fixed article-contacting guide extending along said toothed belt run,rmeansrresilientlyurging saidrnnof the otherjbelt towardssaid toothed run, andmeanstmt moving a said belt runs at the same linear velocity and in the direc- 2, Apparatus for orienting an article provided with a spotting projection, said apparatuscomprising an endless belt having means providing uniformly spaced cavities, each of a width toereceive a single spotting projection, 'rneans' for driving said belt :ataipredeterrnined linear speed, :and means operative resiliently to urge the article 7 toward asidrbelt while turning the article until its spotting 1 projection enters one of said cavities of the belt thereby positively to prevent further rotation of the articlel 3.: Apparatus for use in'orienting a round article proa predetermined path, said' apparatus comprising an elongate, stationaryguide along one side of said path, the guide having an article-contacting surface shaped first to deflect thearticle transversely of the path in one direction and then to permit the article to" move transversely of the path'in the opposite direction,meanstor advancing the article bodily along saidpath While it 'is turned by frictional contact withtsaid guide, said means comprising a belt havng a toothed run adjacent to said guide and a second belt comprising a run having a substantially smooth article-contacting surface'at the oppositeside of the path,-said latter belt being so constructed and arranged as resiliently to urge the article into contact with the guide.' 7-

I 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the toothed runtof the'first-snamed belt extends longitudinally of the vided with a spotting projection as the article moves along guide and closely adjacent to the latten theteethofthc 'belt defining between them pockets; each of asize to re-V ceive a single spotting projection; and means for driving the belt; at a linear-velocity'exceeding that of. the article prior to the entry of the spotting projectionintoa pocket ofthebelt. I

" 5: Apparatus 'according to claim comprising spaced pulleys about whichthe'belt havingthe'sr'noo th articlecontacting surface is trained, meansfor driving one of V said' pulleys, a movablesupportfor 'the other' pulleyv so constructed and arrangedas to permitsaid latter pulley 1 tomove bodily both longitudinally and transversely of said path, spring means urging thepulley longitudinally' lof the path in a direction to tension the belt, and spring means urging said pulley toward'the fixed guide. 1

6.711 1 combination, in conveyor apparatus for handling a circular articles, each provided with a spotting projection and wherein aligned delivery and receiving conveyors have runs with a deadplate between rthem vover which 7 articles passfin advancing from the delivery to the receiving conveyorfsaid apparatus comprising an elongate stationary guide extending along one edge ofthe dead rplate, said guide beingfshaped'to deflect themoving article transversely of the dead plate, means for'advancing the" rarticle bo'dily along said path while causing it to V of the dcad plate, m ans, for driving said belt soithat 7 7 said run moves inthe'direction fof the radv'ance of the turn by' frictional contact with said guide, and meansem L gageable by the "spotting projection to terminate" rotation of the rarticleiand to accelerate its bodily motion" along said path, the means for terminating rotation of the' article comprising an endless belt'having teeth projecting {from its outer face, beltguiding means associated with the aforesaid fixed guide, said belt-guiding meansrbeing's o 7 constructed and arranged asrto guide a run of the blelt to 1 V 11 follow the contour of the fixed guide, a toothed drive roll engaging the teeth' of the bel t, and means for'tnr'ning the l jxApparatus accordingto claim 6, vvhereinthe fixed ward the path alongvvhich thelarticle travels. V 7 18. Apparatuspfor use in orienting a round article proided witha spotting projection as thearticle moves guide' along which the article rolls is arcuate and convex along a'predetermined'path, said apparatus comprisingan 1 elongate stationary guide extending along path, saidguidecomprising a lowerportion having a sure l n which h ar ro l an pp Pa a having a surface; which is' spaced a way fronr'the article a path relatively to the,first-namedrisurfacgboth surfaces being arcuate and convex toward the-path 'alongiwhich' the article advances, means for advancingthe article bodilyf along said path while" causing itito'turn' by-.frictional}con'- tact with said gnide, and means engageableby the-spotting projection to terminate-rotationof the article, said last- ,named means comprising an endless belt includinga T r 7 having a smooth side which contacts theupper of thcf V aforesaidarcuate surfaceswhile the article's rolls along the V lower of said surfaces; said belt having spaced teeth on its, Iouter side, adjacent teeth being spaced to 'admit'a single 4 spotting projection between them, and means rormovnig 1 7 said run of the belt in the direction of the 'advance ofi-the article. 7

9; In combination, in conveyor apparatus for handling circular articles; each provided Witha spottingprojection and wherein delivery and receiving conveyors have V aligned runs with :a dead plateibetween the'm'over which" articles pass in advancing from'lthe delivery to there I ceiving conveyors, a fixed elongate guideiextending along 1 one edgeof the dead plate, said-guidehaving anai'ticleengaging surface shaped toturg e anarticle:transversely V of the dead plate, an endless; smooth-surfaced belt having ,a run extending along the other? edge of the dead plate, means for driving said belt ata linearvelocity ex ceeding that of the delivery conveyor,nieans'resilientlv urging said runrof the'belt towardthe fixed guide thereby f frictionally to contact the article with theguide and thus a to cause the article to rollalong the guide, and a toothed belt having a run which extends along andzelosely. ad-

jacent to the gnide,the teeth of the belt projectingontwardly and defining pockets,each;of asizeto'receive'a singlef spotting -projection, and means for" drivingsthe f toothed, beltat the same linear velocity' a si thefsrnooth'} surfaced belt. I

10. In combination, injconveyor apparatus 'fonhan Q j dling circular articles, each provided withajspotting pro; 7 j jectionand wherein aligned delivery 'andlreceiving con i a 'veyors have runs with a deajd plate between them across 1 jw'h'ich articlespassin advancing from the delivery to the V receiving conveyorpa fixed guide extending along one" edge ofthe dead plate, said'guide beingsopontoured as to v deflect' the "article its normal path, m eans for; advancing the'article bodily alongjsaidjpath .'vvhile 'caus' ing ,it to turn by frictional" contact with said ,gnide',,anfd j means engageable by thefspottin'g' projection' to terminate rotation of the article, said lattermeans comprisingsani endless belt having'a run which extends; alongj'oneedge article, said run being sjrno'oth onrone-sidevand having ,equallyrspaced teeth onits oppositeiside' nieans for. ad-V vancing an article onto the ideadlplate while so .orienting. r

it that its spotting projectionapproachesfthe toothed belt while moving oppositely. tothe' latter;

11., In combination, in conveyor,

jection and 'whereindelivery andirjeceiving conveyors thereby to grip the article between said inmgmeans for moving said runs at the s arne linear velocity'anddntlie same direction therebyrto move the articles bodilyonto th reseivina s m n .mea i t i i v Said El one side of said. 7

' pp tus fbrham ;dling circular articles, each1providedlvvith a .spottingr 'on providing a series of evenly spaced cavities, each of a size to receive a single spotting projection thereby positively to prevent rotation of the article while it continues along said path.

12. In apparatus for orienting a round article having a spotting projection, a fixed guide defining one side of a path along which the article is advanced, said guide comprising a part having a vertical surface with which the periphery of the advancing article has rolling contact, the guide having a second vertical surface above said first surface but set back from the latter away from the article path, an endless belt comprising a run having a substantially smooth surface which contacts the second of said vertical surfaces of the guide, said run having equally spaced teeth at its opposite side which project into said path and which define cavities between them, each of a size to receive a single spotting projection thereby to prevent the article from rotating as it continues along said path, means resiliently urging the article toward said toothed belt run, and means for driving the belt so that said run moves in the direction of article advance.

13. In apparatus for orienting a round article having at spotting projection, a fixed guide defining one side of -a path along which the article is advanced, said guide comprising a part having a vertical surface with which the peripheral surface of the article has rolling contact, the guide having a second vertical surface, an endless belt comprising a run having a substantially smooth surface which contacts the second of said vertical surfaces, and a second belt comprising a run having a substantially smooth side which is spaced from the aforesaid run of the first belt, thereby to provide between said runs a path along which the article advances, and means for resiliently urging said run of the second belt toward said run of the first belt, thereby to grip the article between them, the first-named belt having spaced teeth on its opposite side which project into said path, any one of said teeth, by contact with the spotting projection on an article, being operative to prevent rotation of the article as the latter advances while gripped between the two belt runs.

14. In combination, in apparatus for orienting an article, having a spotting projection, as the article advances uninterruptedly along a predetermined path, two belt runs arranged respectively at opposite sides of said path and which move in the same direction and at the same velocity, one of said belt runs having a substantially smooth outer surface for contact with the article and a toothed inner surface for contact with a driving element, a bodily movable rotatable idler sprocket which engages the toothed side of said belt run, means resiliently urging the idler sprocket in a direction to tension the latter belt run, and means resiliently urging the idler sprocket to- 10 ward the second belt run thereby to grip the article between said runs, the second belt run carrying means operative, by engagement with the spotting projection on the article, to prevent the article from rotating while held between the belt runs.

15. In combination, in apparatus for orienting an article having a spotting projection as the article advances uninterruptedly along a predetermined path, two endless belts each having a run arranged at one side respectively of said path, said runs moving in the same direction and at the same velocity, one of said runs having a substantially smooth outer side for contact with the article and a toothed inner side for contact with a drive sprocket, an idler sprocket which engages the toothed side of said belt, a pivoted support on which the idler sprocket is mounted, the'pivotal axis of said support being adjacent to one side of the article path, resilient means urging said support to swing in a direction to move the idler sprocket toward the opposite belt run thereby to grip the article between them, and adjustable means for limiting such motion of the support, the other of said belt runs carrying means operative, by engagement with the spotting projection on the article, to prevent the article from rotating while held between the belt runs.

'16. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, two endless belts, guide pulleys for each belt operative to define two spaced belt runs, means for driving the belts so that said runs move in the same direction and at the same linear velocity, one of the belt runs having spaced teeth and the other run having a smooth surface opposed to said teeth, one of said belt runs being resiliently yieldable away from the other run.

17. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, two endless belts, guide pulleys for each belt operative to define two spaced belt runs, means for positively driving both belts so that said runs move in the same direction and at the same linear velocity, one of the belts having spaced teeth which are exposed at its aforesaid run, and the other belt run having a smooth surface opposed to said teeth, a rigid guide for the toothed belt operative to cause its aforesaid toothed run to follow an arcuate path convex toward the other belt run, and the latter belt run being resiliently yieldable away from said toothed run.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,333,006 Welser Mar. 9, 1920 2,159,318 Carter May 23, 1939 2,368,350 Ellison Jan. 30, 1945 2,706,031 Capstack et al. Apr. 12, 1955 

